New to lift kits. What do I need in parts for all the varying lift sizes? (J10/J20)

[AKJ10HYBRID]

So im relatively new to the FSJ community in terms offroading tech and expertise and had some questions. Ive seen threads on what my lifted 1974 J10 would look like with varying lifts and tire sizes. What i havent seen yet is a thread where fellow jeep enthusiasts post all the parts and little geometry needed to make it work. To summarize it would help in my decision from fellow jeep J-Truck owners if you guys told me what all is needed to lift my J10. Note: Its a 1974 J10 with 1984 J20 powertrain and drivetrain for now. I have the stock 74 leaf springs for a softer ride with j20 axles. Also im starting another thread soon on my questions about people who've used the CDI modules to replace the Duraspark system. Thanks again guys

[KJ Ryu]

Correct springs, first of all. Is your's a post mount setup? I can't remember when they changed. Beyond that, nothing is needed for 2" lift, other than new u-bolts. Drop pitman arm, extended brake lines and possibly caster shims are going to be needed for anything taller.

[RamJetFSJ]

74 J10 is a odd year for leaf springs. They use the newer style front springs, and a older style rear spring with large ID bushings. I just almost purchased one a few weeks ago, so I was researching springs for it. Im pretty sure there are no lift springs available for the back, they would have to be custom made.

[derf]

I lifted my J10 4" with a Skyjacker Softride spring kit.

My 86 J10 doesn't have the same springs that your 74 will, so you need to get the correct springs for your application (or modify your brackets to use the newer springs).

You will, of course, need shock absorbers that are the correct length.

Moving the axle further away from the frame will drive the need for extended length brake lines. The ones you get depend entirely on the fittings that came on your vehicle, along with how much lift you're adding. You probably have standard inverted flare fittings on the frame side and a 3/8" banjo bolt on the caliper side. But it's possible you have something else.

The steering geometry gets a little out of whack when you lift over a couple of inches. There are several ways to correct this. A drop pitman arm is good for about 4" of lift. Above that, you need to start considering going beyond the drop pitman arm to a full high steer setup. The pitman arm is not absurdly difficult to remove and replace. A high steer conversion involves a great many parts and a fairly involved installation. Not so hard that you can't do it yourself but it's a lengthy process.

You probably don't have a track bar or swaybar. If you do, you will be better off getting their geometry in order. For my J10, I had only a swaybar and no track bar. I bought extended swaybar links for a CJ application and they bolted right up. For the track bar, you'd want a bracket that effectively raises up the track bar mounting hole on the axle to get the geometry straightened out.

Beyond that, there isn't a whole lot that you'd really need to do.

[dbabicky]

1974 and 1975 J-10's have the rear post type springs. I have a 1975. Full spring lift kits are available through Hell Creek suspension. They offer a 4" and 6" kits which are complete with all 4 springs, extended brake lines, shocks, dropped pitman arm and u-bolts. I got my 4" kit for my 1975 from them. It installed flawlessly. Look them up on the web and then talk to "Tom" at Hell Creek. He'll set you up You'll need to know the length of your rear springs measured from center of front eye to rear eye, and diameter of the rear post